Skordalia (Greek Garlic and Potato Spread) Recipe

Don't wait for the cold weather to set in to enjoy mashed potatoes: Take a page from the Greeks with skordalia, a garlicky, tangy mashed potato dip. Flavored with olive oil, vinegar, almonds, and plenty of raw garlic, then served chilled or at room temperature, it'll give you a whole new perspective on what mashed potatoes can be.

Why It Works

Rinsing the diced potatoes before and after cooking removes surface starch, reducing the gumminess of the potato purée.

Blending the garlic with vinegar and/or lemon juice reduces its pungency while preserving its flavor.

Directions

1.

Preheat oven to 350°F. Set cubed potatoes in a colander and rinse under cold water until water runs clear. Transfer to a large saucepan and cover with cold water by at least 2 inches. Season water with salt until it is salty like tears. Bring water to a boil over high heat, then reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until a knife easily pierces potatoes with no resistance, 10 to 15 minutes. Drain potatoes in colander, then rinse with hot running water for 30 seconds.

2.

Meanwhile, in a food processor, combine almonds, garlic, 2 tablespoons (30ml) cold water, and wine vinegar and/or lemon juice. Process until garlic and almonds are reduced to a paste. Season with salt.

3.

Spread potatoes in an even layer on a rimmed baking sheet and transfer to oven until excess moisture has evaporated and surface of potatoes is dry, about 6 minutes.

4.

Using a potato ricer or a food mill with the finest disk, mash potatoes into a large mixing bowl. Alternatively, thoroughly mash potatoes with a potato masher in a large mixing bowl.

5.

Stir in olive oil and almond-garlic mixture until thoroughly incorporated. If skordalia looks like it's breaking slightly (i.e., if the oil does not fully incorporate to form a homogeneous mixture), stir in more cold water, 1 tablespoon at a time, beating well, until mixture is emulsified. Season with salt, then garnish with parsley and serve immediately with warm pita or bread, or chill until ready to serve.

Special Equipment

Notes

Skordalia is meant to be strongly garlicky, which is what about 6 cloves will give you, but if you want it a little less intense, you can choose to use 5 or 4 cloves instead. I like the combination of fresh lemon juice with white wine vinegar, but if you have to choose only one, I'd recommend the sharper acidic flavor of the wine vinegar in this dish.

This Recipe Appears In

Daniel cooked for years in some of New York's top American, Italian and French restaurants - starting at the age of 13, when he began staging at the legendary restaurant Chanterelle. He spent nearly a year working on organic farms in Europe, where he harvested almonds and Padron peppers in Spain, shepherded a flock of more than 200 sheep in Italy, and made charcuterie in France. When not working on, thinking about, cooking and eating food, he blows off steam (and calories) as an instructor of capoeira, the Afro-Brazilian martial art.